1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a new apparatus for removing liquid from liquid bearing material and to a new method for removing liquid from liquid bearing material.
2. Prior Art Statement
It is known to provide an apparatus for removing liquid from liquid bearing material and comprising a pair of spaced electrodes for being disposed on opposite sides of the material, means for creating an electrostatic field between the electrodes for acting through the material to remove liquid from the material, and a plurality of needle-like projections for being disposed in the material between the electrodes to assist in removing liquid from the liquid bearing material. For example, see the U.S. Pat. No. to Candor, 4,236,317.
It is also known to have the projections of such an arrangement project through a plurality of opening means passing through one of the electrodes. For example see the U.S. Pat. No. 4,341,617 to King.
While the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 4,236,317, to Candor, also describes that the needle-like projections and the electrodes can be sonically or ultrasonically vibrated while the needle-like projections are projecting into and/or through the liquid bearing material that is disposed between the electrodes for further enhancing the electrostatic action in removing liquid from the liquid bearing material, also see the U.S. Pat. No. 3,931,682; to Candor, the U.S. Pat. No. 4,561,953, to Muralidhara et al, and Chapter 14, pages 335-374 of the book Advances in Solid-Liquid Separation edited by H. S. Muralidhara for other examples of apparatus that utilize sonic or ultrasonic vibrations in combination with an electrostatic field to remove liquid from liquid bearing material.
It is also known that liquid in capillaries or porous material tends to physically move in the direction of increasing field inhomogeneity to the capillary or pore mouth when an inhomogeneous electrostatic or electric field or non-uniform electrostatic or electric field is directed across that capillary or porous body. For example, see the article "Effect of a Corona Discharge Field On Evaporation of Liquids From Capillaries" by Karpovich et al, J. Eng. Phys., 1981, 41, 1333. In addition, see the article "Study of Electric Field-Induced Effects on Water Vapor Adsorption in Porous Adsorbents" by Someshwar et al, Ind. Eng. Chem. Fundam., 1985, 24, 215-220; the article "Effect of an Electric Field on the Kinetics of Water Sorption by a Capillary-Porous Material" by Panchenko et al, J. Eng. Phys., 1972, 22, 554 and the article "Influence of Inhomogeneous Electric and Magnetic Fields on Internal Mass Transfer In Capillary-Porous Bodies" by Panasyuk et al, J. Eng. Phys., 1978, 35, 827.